Pros and Cons of Joining the Air Force

Thinking of how to join the Air Force? Consider pros and cons of joining the Air Force first. This article gives you information on the same.

CareerStint Staff

Air Force is synonymous with pride, perseverance, hard work, masculinity, and so on. But the first picture that comes in front of the eyes is that of the aircraft and the breath-taking flights that we see during the passing out parades or the practice exercises. Pros and cons though, are similar to any military jobs. People who are specifically inclined towards joining the Air Force will find the cons mentioned in this article of more relevance.

Air Force is the federal government branch of the US military and Air National Guard also known as the Air Guard is one of the armed forces that exists in all the fifty states of the USA. Air Force also includes the army and naval aviation branch along with the marines.

Pros

Career: The most important advantage of choosing the Air Force as a career opportunity is that the government provides you lifetime medical insurance not only for yourself but your family too. So you need not worry when you are on overseas deputation or posted somewhere away from your family for a long time.

Job Security: The best and most satisfying benefit is that it gives you job security like none other. You can rest assured that you will not be asked to leave your job even if you are a bit slow in accomplishing the work assigned to you. This also includes the security of not being left behind or being treated partially compared to the people who have been commissioned along with you.

Sophisticated Machines: Apart from these, you get to be in the proximity of and get to handle, entirely high-tech and sophisticated machines. Not only when if you choose pilot job, this is applicable for the ground duties department as well. As these staff also have to handle high-tech machines and thus are bound to be well acquainted with the machines.

Rank: Coming to the glamorous side of joining the Air Force, it includes this one big sought factor, i.e., the military ranks. You get these ranks only in the military and nowhere else. The best part of this is, it remains with you for your entire life, that is to say, even after your retirement. This is something which many covet along with the uniform of course.

Satisfaction: Coming next in the pros of is job satisfaction. I am yet to find a person who is not satisfied being in the Air Force. Although it is tough at times but job satisfaction is something which has not been the topmost reasons for quitting the Air Force.

Education: Education from the best of institutes and colleges apart from the military schools is also one of the biggest advantages that the Air Force gives you. The expenses of the courses you desire to go for, will be borne by the Air Force, if you are selected for the same. What's more is that this facility is extended to your family members too in the form of reserved quota in most of the educational organizations.

Travel: Traveling all around the world and the satisfaction that it is your service for the country is something which you cannot even dream of in any other job. A total outdoor profession balanced with regular office job.

Pension: Pension is another huge advantage of being in the Air Force. With today's inflation rates and fluctuating economy, pension is something which will take care of you after you complete your service tenure. Lifelong income is assured by the government.

Medical Expenses: Medical expenditures is what poses the biggest concern when one grows old. Since old age is unavoidable, here too, you will find another advantage of joining the Air Force. Medical expenses, yours along with your family members', are bore by the Air Force. There is hardly any other job that gives you so much.

Cons

Tough Medicals: The medicals for getting inducted in the Air National Guard alone is lenient, otherwise for the federal government's Air Force it is very strict. Candidates are rejected with the slightest of discrepancies with the standards of medical fitness set by them.

Homesickness: Family life is something that one would miss being in the Air Force. This is by far the biggest disadvantages of joining the Air Force.

Bond of Service Tenure: The Air Force demands an undertaking for the minimum period of service. This bond does not allow you to quit the services ones you complete the training period. You have an option of quitting while you are undergoing training but on condition of repaying the amount that has been spent on you by the government, which is quite a bit.

Foreign Policy: The policy of foreign affairs is kind of imperialistic and has been the issue of much debate, praise and criticism as well.

Casualty: The rate of casualty is quite high in the overseas deputation.

Flying: You do not get to fly fighter aircraft if you are not in the federal, i.e., the US Air Force. You get to fly only the transport carriers like helicopters, etc., for transportation, rescuing and logistics purposes.

Sexual Harassment: This factor does loom large in any military branches of most of the countries generally in case of women. Being a male dominated field also adds to the misery. Though the survey by Pentagon two years ago had reported one-third of the women folk being sexually harassed in the US military, the Air Force policy for the same is sure to give an assurance of justice.

So these were the pros and cons of joining the Air Force. Pros and cons are there in every field of profession. But joining the armed forces is something which should come from within. The drive, the feeling of pride and belongingness is finally what makes you stay in spite of all the odds. As they say, If you have it in you, you have it in you. If you don't, you don't. So think carefully.